It was perfect for this movie too. Dios, this sad, beautiful, amazing movie.
Easing the babies off my lap and shifting them so they were resting on nearby blankets, I patted their precious little heads, then pushed to my feet. My back was stiff and legs ached from sitting on the floor for so long, so I stretched them and dusted off my backside.
“You said you needed to go?” I asked Asher.
“Huh?” He glanced from the movie and blinked at me before shaking his head to clear it. “Oh yeah. It’s Saturday, karaoke night. So I need to get there early too. We’d better go.” Then he smiled toward the kids. “I guess they ended up liking you. Thanks again for watching them. Mason and Reese really needed Pick and Eva today.”
“No problem. They’re good kids…and cute as all get-out.” I followed him from the room, where the rest of the apartment was a lot quieter than it’d been in the bedroom with the kids and the movie playing.
Though I loved my spot in Non-Castrato, always having to dress up as Sticks, the male drummer, was wearing on me. I just really, really missed being a girl. I mean, I could still be me when I was home and when I had to go to work at Casta?eda’s, but it seemed like other than that, I was stuck in my mask and forced to act manly almost around the clock.
I know, know. Why the heck was I whining? I’d gotten my own damn self into this predicament. I’d made my bed, and so forth.
Didn’t mean I didn’t have regrets though. I still probably would’ve tried out as a guy if I had to do it all over again. I loved being able to play with the band. And I loved this chance to get to know Asher. The verdict was still out on Gally and Heath. Heath might be okay, but it was hard to tell. Gally, I feared, was a straight-up irredeemable asshole.
I probably would’ve come clean to them sooner, though.
Now, I was just too chicken-shit and worried I’d destroy everything if I exposed my true identity. It would definitely upset Asher. And I’d do anything not to upset Asher, even continue to dress up as Sticks.
I’d never been the girliest girl on the planet, but three nights after I babysat Pick and Eva’s kids while Asher helped console Mason and Reese, I felt the need to indulge my feminine side. I took a long, hot bubble bath, gave myself an avocado facial, plopped two cucumber slices over my eyes and didn’t budge from the water until all my fingers and toes were pruned and colorless.
After that, I strolled barefoot around the apartment in a fuzzy terrycloth robe with a towel turban on my head as I raided the kitchen for ice cream, chocolate, and a mug of pumpkin spiced tea.
A mini pedicure followed along with fingernail painting and then eyebrow tweezing. By the time I was done with all that, I felt refreshed and ready to take on the world again.
I didn’t plan on going out, but I slid on one of my favorite little black dresses and fixed up my face and hair—just because I could—before returning to the kitchen to, ugh...do the dishes.
It’d been a few days and they’d piled up. What was worse, the waffle maker I hadn’t used for over a week was still sitting on the counter, waiting to be scrubbed clean. I was sure both Jodi and I had done a round of dishes each since we’d used that damn waffle iron. But it was such a pain in the ass to wash, we’d both put it off.
I narrowed my eyes at it, wondering if it’d be wrong to just pitch it and buy another. It was kind of a cheapie brand. I could buy something nice and self-cleaning. Did waffle makers come in self-cleaning brands?
Well, they totally should.
Bluck, okay. I’d clean the stupid thing.
I had the soap and every possible scrubber on hand, working at it, when I heard Jodi come in, home early from her Tuesday night class. I called a greeting and went back to the waffle iron as I sang “Anaconda.” I had my hips swaying and booty popping as I rapped out the Nicki Minaj part, because hell, isn’t that what you were supposed to do when you got down with Nicki?
I’d just gotten to the verse when someone laughed from behind me. Yelping out my surprise, I whirled around, the suds clinging to my hands flinging everywhere.
“Oh my God, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.” The girl leaning against the doorjamb of the kitchen and holding her stomach with one arm as she continued to laugh held up a hand. “I just heard the singing and had to check it out.”
I gaped at her, blinking and unable to believe my eyes...because I knew her.